Conveyer



Apr. 10, 1923. 11,45UL952 O. P. FIKE CONVEYER Filed Dec. 51, 1920 3 sheets-sheet 1 a (Juvewl oz Apr; I0, 1923. swsz O P. FIKE v CONVEYER Filed Dec. 51 1920 O. P. F!KE CONVEYER 5 sheets-sheet 3 7 Filed D90. 31, 1920 Fetented Apr. 16, 192

UlhillTED :5

OLIVER 1?. FIRE, OF

FINDLAY, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO ERNEST M.

HOPPENBERG, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

CONVEYER.

To all whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, ,OLIVER P. FIKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Conveyor, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to buffing machines and more particularly to bufling machines especially adapted for buffing the rubber from the fabric of tires, during the reclaiming operation.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a buffer of this character wherein the bufling wheel may be used until the bristles thereof have been worn to points in proximity to the hub of the buffer.

A further object of the invention is to provide an endless table having means to grip the fabric under operation, and carry the same forward to the bufling wheel, the gripping means being automatically released to permit the article to be thrown from the table after the rubber has been buffed therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for adjusting the endless table with respect to the butiing wheel to cause the article under operation to be held to the buffing wheel with the proper amount of pressure, to insure the removal of the rubber.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the comblnation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates a front elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of the same;

Figure 3 illustrates a. sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 illustrates a plan view of one of the sections of the endless table, the same being partly broken away to illustrate the Application filed December 31, 1920. Serial No. 134,305.

supporting plungers of the movable portion thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail. the frame of the machine includes the end bars 5 and 6 respectively which are connected by side rails 7 and end rails 8 disposed adjacent to the lower ends of the end bars and 6.

The upper portion of the frame is formed of side rails 9 and end rails 10, which end rails provide supports for the bearing members 11 in which operates the power shaft 12, it being understood however that the central transverse bar 13 forms a part of the upper portion of the frame, and supports the bearing 14: in which moves the shaft 12,

A pulley indicated at 15 is mountcdou one end of the shaft 12 and imparts rotary movement thereto, there being provided a suitable belt not shown, for operating over the pulley 15 to impart rotary motion there to.

The buffing wheel 16 is also supported on the shaft 12 adjacent to one end thereof, which buffing wheel is made up of a plurality of wire bristles, which present a relatively rough surface, to buff or remove the rubber from the fabric gmder treatment.

Vertically adjustable frames 17 form a part of the frame of the machine, and each of these frames iniludes a lei-shaped s ructure, having a rack bar 18 extending downwardly therefrom, the teeth. of which rack bars cooperate with the teeth 19 of the operating rod 20 so that movement of the operating rod as by means of the handle 21 will cause the frames 1'? to move vertically or with respect to the bufling wheel 16. These frames 17 are connected by the parallel bars 22, and carry the bearing members 23 adjacent to the ends thereof. which hear-- ing members support the shafts on which operate the sprocket wheels 25, there being a pair of such sprocket wheels on each shaft 24C to accommodate the chains ,6 that operate' thereover.

These chains 26 form portions of the endless supporting table and support the bars 27, which form the surfaces of the table. the bars being connected to the chains adjacent to the ends of the bars. Each of these bars comprises a main or body section 28, which has an inclined edge 29 adapted to cooperate with the inclined edge 30 of the adjacent bar, the inclined 30 have ever being formed on the movable section 31 of each bar, and as shown, this movable section of each bar is provided with plungers 32 moving in suitable openings provided in the body portion 28, coiled spring 33 being interposed between the plunger and one end of the opening in which the same moves for normally moving the movable section 31 away from the body portion 28.

From the foregoing it is obvlous that as the endless table is moved over the sprocket wheels 25, the edges of adjacent bars become disconnected, whereupon the fabric may be inserted between adjacent bars, with the result that when the bars move to the upper portion of the machine, the bars are forced into close engagement with each other, to clamp the article under treatment and hold the same in proper position under the buffer 16.

In order that the bars forming the body portions 28 will move into proper relation with each other, to grip an article therebetween, a curved spring 34 is provided on the lower surface of each body portion 28 and contacts with the adjacent bar or body portion to guide the adjacent bar to its proper position.

Carried by the frame 17 are the rollers 35 which have their shafts journaled in the bearings 36, which are normally urged downwardly by means of the coiled spring 37, so that the spring tension will be exerted to the material under treatment at all times, to insure its proper contact with the buffor 16.

WVhen the bristles of the buffer 16 become worn, the operatingxhandle 21 is operated to adjust the frames to bring the endless table into engagement with the buffer 16 to insure the operation of the machine.

One of the shafts 24: is relatively long and supports the sprocket wheel 38 which imparts rotary movement to its shaft, through the medium of the chain 39 which operates over the sprocket 40 that is'mounted on the shaft 41. The shaft 41 receives power through the chain 42 which operates over the sprocket 43, and over the sprocket 44, the sprocket 43 being however mounted on the shaft 45 on which is mounted the pulley '46 that receives rotary motion from a suitable power plant. a

The sprocket wheel 25 which is mounted on the shaft 24 receives rotary motion from the sprocket wheel 4:? which imparts rotary movement to the sprocket wheel 18, through the medium of the chain 49.

In the operation of the machine, a fabric is positioned on the table so that one end thereof will be gripped between adjacent bars of the table, where the same is carried under the bufling wheel 16, and in engagement with the wheel with the result that as the same is rapidly moving, the rubber is readily removed from the fabric.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the character described, a frame, sprocket wheels supported by the frame, an endless conveyer operating over the sprocket wheels, said conveyer including chains, bars supported by the chains, each of the bars including a body portion and a movable section, the movable section of one bar adapted to move into clamping relation with one edge of the adjacent bar to clamp an article therebetween, and said movable sections adapted to move out of clamping relation with the adjacent bar when the bars pass over the sprocket wheels.

2. In a device of the character described, a frame, sprocket wheels supported by the frame, an endless conveyer operating over the sprocket wheels, said endless conveyer including chains, main bars supported by the chains and disposed in spaced relation with each other, each of the main bars having an inclined surface, a movable section carried by each bar, each movable section having an inclined edge adapted to move into engagement with the inclined edge of an adjacent main bar to clamp an article therebetween, and guiding means carried by each main bar for guiding the adjacent movable section to its clamping position.

3. In a device. of the character described, a frame, sprocket wheels supported by the frame, an endless conveyer operating over the sprocket wheels, said endless conveyer comprising a plurality of main bars, a movable section supported by each main bar, resilient means for normally forcing the movable section away from the main bar supporting the same, and a curved spring member carried .by each main bar and adapted to guide the adjacent movable section into clamping relation with the adjacent main bar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

OLIVER P. FIKE. 

